Lets Play William Tell
by peteylove
Summary: Set a few years after the movie. Hawkeye and Stark find a mutant who has just blown up half a block in NYC. They take her back to SHIELD and Fury finds that he has met the first person he can't contain or control. To top it off something dark waits just beyond the horizon. *Separation between narrators fixed.
1. A Fire Will Rise

A Fire Will Rise

***Sorry about the story being confusing. I did not realize that the stars I put to separate narrators didn't transfer. Thank you, Darkangel42264, for pointing it out.

*First go at an Avengers fic. Hope you enjoy.

_1. A Fire Will Rise_

*3rd person

"Director Fury, there is a drunk mutant outside Gotham Bar and Grill, she is eh…threatening to turn all their wine to water," said Agent Hill from her computer.

"A mutant?" Fury looked incredulous for a split second. "Call off any approaching Sentinels, I'll have Tony and Clint pick her up." Fury pressed a finger to his right ear, "Agent Barton." He paused for a reply. "There's a mutant outside…" He pressed his lips together having been cut off. "Yes a mutant. She's outside Gotham Bar, you and Stark go get her."

Agent Hill worse up quickly, "Sentinels have already been deployed, I can't stop them."

"Now Barton, before the Sentinels arrive."

*Leto POV

"Wine to water I sw…" I lost my footing and landed on the curb. I had a sudden case of the spins and promptly puked up those last two shots of Captain.

"Look you gene scum I called ONE they're on their way." The owner of the bar looked down at me completely satisfied with himself.

"Thanks." I smiled up at him and used the Prius close by to pull myself up. I then leaned against said car until they arrived, watching but not listening to the humans as they spat hateful comments at me. About ten minutes later Iron Man and a man with a bow showed up.

"Nice Jesus impersonation but we need to go," came the semi-mechanical voice of Iron Man.

"The Sentinels will be here soon," said the man with a bow whom I now realized was Hawkeye

"I know," I was starting to slide down the side of the Prius and had to right myself.

"So let's move," Stark moved towards me. I put up a hand and he stopped in his tracks. I could hear the faint sound of alarms going off in his suit. "…the hell."

"Sir, she is altering the makeup of the armor," said JARVIS

"Altering?"

"I believe she is turning it to tin."

"Tin!" but before he could get too bent out of shape my fans had arrived.

"Leto Ellis Kennedy, you have been identified as mutant and shall be exterminated immediately."

"Shit," Hawkeye put a lot of emphasis on the i and grabbed and arrow and nocked it.

I flicked my hand and sent the rescuing pair crashing through the windows of the nearby starbucks. I meant to just push them away but my concentration wasn't exactly on point. I stumbled in to the street and let the four Sentinels surrounded me. The three story red and purple robots reached out a giant hand above me. "Destroy," they said in unison. Four missiles came down at me. I reached up a palm and flicked my fingers out a second before the missiles would have hit me. I held them in midair then let them explode right above me. The heat and light were excruciatingly beautiful. I pushed on the molecules in the explosion, sped them up increasing the heat and energy. It was taxing on my body but I wanted more. A dome of fire and light surrounded me. I pushed harder and blood started to trickle out my nose. I had reached that lovely point of no return. With one more flick of my fingers I sent the mass of flame out. There was one concussive blast then blinding never ending white light. Finally the abyss.

***3rd person

"I thought most of the mutants were depowered and whoever not disappeared," said Dr. Banner as he glanced through the glass window separating the medical room with the office room they were in. Leto was sleeping on her side facing the window, only her thick wavy hair visible under the thick comforter covering her.

"True, doctor. For some reason she stuck around," replied Fury as he followed the doctor's gaze.

"I'm sorry, what is a mutant?" asked Steve with scrunched brows.

"Do that," agreed Thor.

"'The next step in human evolution', as I've heard it so elegantly put before. Leto and people like her…" Banner was then cut off by Stark.

"She is nature's version of what my father did to you," Tony pointed at Steve.

"I can't do what she did to those Sentinels."

"And a half block of a busy street," sniped Barton as he rubbed his bruised shoulder.

"She carries an X-gene. With it a person can do anything from walk through walls to control your mind," said Banner.

"Thou humans can do magic after all," Thor grinned.

"Very few," reminded Director Fury.

"What do you call her magic?" asked Steve, finding it easier to accept that she could do magic then was born this way.

"Well at first I thought she was a telekinetic (can move objects with her mind) then Stark explained what she was doing to his suit." Banner glanced over at Tony who gave a look of indignation at the thought of his gold-titanium alloy super suit being changed to something as weak as tin foil. "I believe she can manipulate matter. Ergo she can change anything to something else. And because of that I don't think there is anything she can't do."

Fury sighed, "She is extremely dangerous."

"And there is no prison you can put her in that she couldn't get out," Stark smiled slightly, he was still pissed but the thought of a teenage girl making Fury's life harder was funny.

"Dangerous mutant kid is waking up," Barton pointed out.

*Leto POV

I pulled the thick white blanket off my face and taking my eyes a minute to adjust to unnatural lighting. I sensed him before I saw him and turned my head until we were eye to eye. There were five other people in the room but all I could focus on was him. He stood out like a flame in a dark room. His whole molecular structure was dancing on a tight rope just waiting for a catalyst to bring out his true nature.

"Hi," he says. He pushes his dark slightly curly hair away from his eyes and gives me a good look over.

"Hi," I whisper back. I scooch around a little to get more comfortable but never break eye contact with him.

"You can tell, can't you?" he asked as he pointed to his chest.

"Yes. I've never seen anything like you before." He had to be The Hulk or right now Dr. Bruce Banner.

"I guess I'm flattered."

I nodded yes.

"While this starring contest is cute, I want to know what happened," one of the five spat out.

"Why are you here and why did you blow up those Sentinels," came a deeper voice.

I starred at the monitor computing my heart rate and temperature for a minute while I composed my story in my head.

"Living on a rock for the rest of my very long life with the remaining handful of people like me wasn't appealing to me so I stayed here."

"You masked your X-gene to keep ONE from finding you," Bruce said sounding slightly impressed.

I nodded slightly then continued. "But living in hiding for the last 4 years grew unsatisfying to say the least. So I got drunk in a public place knowing I'd lose control hoping for it actually."

Bruce stared at me intently and I recognize something. "Can you explain something to me?" I gave him a quick nod. "Your power allows you to heal." He was telling not asking. "Do you have limits?"

"Yes, just like any athlete I have to practice to get stronger. My body can only store and exert so much energy."

"And when you exceed your limits?" he leaned a little closer.

"Cells get broken down to supply the energy."

"When Agent Barton and Stark brought you in you had extensive internal bleeding, for a few minutes I didn't think you would survive," he looked at me knowingly. "You were trying to kill yourself."

I simply sighed. Only someone who had attempted it themselves would have been able to piece it together so intuitively.

There was a sudden movement and intense blue eyes were where Dr. Banners had been. "You could have killed a lot of innocent people," he growled.

"When the Sentinels landed I knew any sane person would have booked it and anyone still standing around…well that's Darwinism for you."

There was a snicker from the back of the room, "Relax Cap'n."

Cap'n backed away from me and leaned against the counter. "I never went out trying to hurt someone. I'm suicidal not homicidal."

"Are you going to try anything?" he asked.

"What did I just say? Anything I did would send us crashing down."

"You can tell that we are in the air?" the one with the deeper voice asked.

"Air is thinner outside the walls," I rolled onto my back and stretch out my legs and arms. "This might not be the best time but I'm rather hungry."

*Notes. The titles tend to be based off of whatever song I was listening to on repeat while I wrote the chapter. A Fire will Rise is by Hans Zimmer and is the new Batman trailer. The rock Leto is talking about is Utopia. I've been reading a lot of post M-Day comics and wanted to tie the Avengers movie into it.


	2. Midnight City

_2. Midnight City_

*3rd person

Fury turned to the intercom to his right and pressed a button, "Please bring Miss Kennedy some lunch."

"Right away Director."

Leto had sat up by now and was looking at the four still standing by the entrance. Fury looked back at her completely at a loss. Never had he acquired someone who he could not control one way or another. She could bring his whole ship down if she damn well pleased. But he could tell that she wouldn't do that, she seemed pretty content for someone who had just tried to kill themselves and failed.

"Leto would you like to stay here?" Fury asked, not for the first time wishing Agent Coulson were still here.

Tony Stark's neck about snapped when he went to look at Fury. "You're asking?" he was so flabbergasted he couldn't even think of a snarky comeback. Leto watched him with a small smile.

"Leto," Fury asked and she went to look him in the eye. "We both know that I can't keep you here. But I am going to offer you a place where you wouldn't have to hide. ONE and any other mutant tracking agency would be permanently barred from attacking or attempting to apprehend you." Her teal green eyes studied him intensely. He could tell that she was just as good at reading people as he was.

"Ok," she said then pulled her knees to her chest and winced slightly.

Banner looked at her with awe and understanding, Rogers a mix of disbelief and dismay, Stark seemed to be a bit happier, Barton couldn't exactly say he was be happy she would be sticking around, Thor grinned looking ecstatic and Fury was obviously conflicted. A knock at the door startled them out of their revere.

A young female agent in a dark navy jumpsuit was standing outside the door with tray full of food. Fury opened the door and waited till after the agent had left to speak.

"Agent Barton I'm putting you in charge of her. For now, Leto, I want you to stay in here until a room can be arranged for you." Barton and Leto both nodded their understanding. "Banner," he gave the doctor a knowing look before leaving the room.

Leto pushed her food to the foot of the bed and moved the comforter behind her, thankful that she had been redressed in a tank and shorts not some wispy hospital gown. The remaining five watched her with curiosity not exactly sure what to say. She chose to speak first, "Barton," she locked eyes with him. "Please come here," she swung her legs over the side of the bed as he approached cautiously. "Don't shoot me ok," she noticed he had his hand resting on the gun in his hip holster. He relaxed a little at her request so she reached out and placed a hand on his aching shoulder. "I am truly sorry for hurting you. I never intended to throw you through that window." Her teal gaze fixed on his grey blue eyes. He was mesmerized by the slight glow that appeared on the dark blue ring surrounding her irises.

*Leto POV

I rubbed Agent Barton's shoulder gently, releasing what little energy I had stored during my nap. Cells grew vigorously, fussing the small hairline fracture of his scapula. Then I worked on the muscle and tendon damage, using the blood from the extensive bruising to help me along. I pushed too far for my current weakened state. Everything around his grey blue eyes started to bleed into darkness. The room swayed and suddenly my face was against his chest. My heart pounded like someone had just given me a good scare. I felt his strong yet gentle hands lay me back on the bed. Everything went dark and quite for a good long while.

When I came too I felt someone pressing on my belly and when they pressed to the right of my bellybutton I couldn't help but let out a giggle. I heard the sharp sound of metal and glass clinking together, "Crap," someone whispered to my right. I opened my eyes just in time to see the Cap'n straighten himself, I guess I startled him.

Dr. Banner gently cupped my chin with his hand, "Don't do that again."

In the next instant I was on the floor, people were screaming and sirens were going off. I rolled onto my belly and gripped the cold white tile floor. Big hands grabbed me and put me on my feet. "I didn't do it," I spat out as I was spun around coming eye level with the Captain's impressive pecks. "I know," he replied. "Barton, what happened?"

I only turned my head to look at Barton because the Cap'n still had a good hold on my sides.

"Some sort of solar flare, knocked out the computers for a second but everything seems to be okay now," he said while holding a finger to his right ear. Two seconds later the sirens stopped and a female voice came over the PA system and pretty much repeated what Barton had said.

The Captain then looked down into my eyes his hands dropping to his sides when he realized he was still holding me. He turned away from me, "You okay Doctor?"

"I'm fine," he replied calmly as he straightened his jacket.

"Thor, Stark?"

"Aye," said Thor as he smoothed his hair back.

"Yeah, Fury seems to have a hard time keeping this bird in the air." Stark pulled out a translucent tablet and began to tap away.

Thor started to go on about his battle with the Enchanters 3 while the Cap'n listened, only understanding every other word. Dr. Banner leaned over Stark and watched on interested and supplying a few suggestions here and there.

I concerned myself with eating my cold grilled cheese and apple sauce while Clint sat on the edge of my bed tweaking the tips of a few arrows.

There was this low hum, I turned my head to the right to hear it better.

"What's wrong?" Barton asked.

"Do you hear that?" I knew I couldn't be going deaf.

"No, what's it sound like?"

"That's not a damn solar flare!" Stark yelled and then everything went to shit.

The whole damn ship seemed to do a cartwheel. I was suddenly under the bed and my nose was gushing red. Ceiling tiles were falling and shattering all around me. Thor was cursing and scrambling over the Cap'n to get to his hammer.

"Thor, the hammer isn't going to work this time," said Stark as he pulled himself to his feet. "It's knocked out the power should be back on in 6…" Sure enough 6 seconds later there was a slight whirling sound and the ship buzzed back to life.

There was another surge. The Cap'n once again yanked me to my feet. "Kid, you okay?"

"Yeah," I went to wipe away the blood from nose but paused with my hand in midair. My heart started to race and no matter how fast I took each breath I still felt like I was suffocating. Pressure was building in my chest, any second I would explode.

"Hey," The Capitan grabbed my face and made me look at him. "Your eyes…"

I pulled away from him and looked at my hands. What looked like blazing blue electricity was licking out of my palms. I clinched my fist trying to force it back down. But there was no use. I pushed the Capitan away and bolted. I felt the tips of Thor's fingers against my back as I rushed out the door.

People and computers blurred around me as I searched for the doors leading out to the deck. A hand wrapped around my arm and yanked me to a stop. "I need out," I screamed at Dr. Banner.

"I know, this way," he said as he pulled me in the opposite direction. With his free hand he began to loosen his tie, his jacket was already gone.

The pressure was building in my chest; energy was seeping out of me making popping noises as it hit the air.

We ran down halls and around a dozen corners. Finally we came to the airlock doors. Banner thrust us in and punched the release with his fist. The next second we were outside in the cold thin air.

I heard Banner grunt from behind me while I raced for the edge of the ship. I fell to my knees just short of the edge.

I couldn't help but scream as all the energy ripped out of me.

*Hawkeye

I watched from the observation window as Banner practically tossed the girl out the door. She raced away from him while he began to "Hulk out". I felt the rumble as the Hulk smashed his giant green fists into the deck floor. Leto was hunched over on her knees just before the edge of the ship. Electric blue wisped away from her body. Then she screamed so loud we could hear it through the thick Pyrex glass windows. Blinding light surrounded her. The Hulk rushed forward until he was engulfed in the light. The whole ship swayed and when the light and smoke cleared Leto, The hulk and the front edge of the ship were gone.

*Song by M83. It a pretty wicked music video so go check it out.


	3. Are We All Forgotten

_3. Are We All Forgotten_

*Thank you so much for the reviews and alerts.

**This is getting darker so fair warning. A lot of it dealing with self destruction.

*Leto POV

A cool breeze made me nuzzle closer to the hard warm rock that was oddly hairy. A sound the mix of a moan and growl rumble through me and my eyes burst open. The world was bright and edged in green. When I could focus I realized I was cradled in The Hulks giant right arm, my head by his furry peck and my toes barely reaching his wrist.

"Kid okay?" Hulk looked down at me.

"Yes, thanks." I looked around. Hulk was walking along the edge of a forest; the tan wheat growing all around reached up to his knees. I tapped his chest and he looked back down at me. "Shoulders?" I pointed up. He lifted me high enough to crawl on to his shoulders. I swung my legs around his neck and gripped his thick green black hair to steady myself. "So will SHIELD be able to find us?" I had absolutely no idea where we were. There were no wheat fields in New York. Sadly I hadn't been given the mutation of GPS as well.

"Tony trace Hulk," his voice was impressively deep and with a constant growl even though he wasn't angry…well I guess not that angry.

*Hawkeye POV

Tony tapped around on the screen of his tablet desperately trying to find his science bro.

"Bruce is in Picardie, France I'll bring him up on satellite"

I looked over to one of the larger screens and watched as it zoomed in on a green spec in the middle of a tan field edged with dark green. Eventually The Hulk came into view with Leto perched on his shoulders. I'll admit I felt a little jealous; I've wanted to do that since our first battle against the Chitauri.

"Barton!" I looked over to Fury realizing that wasn't the first time he said my name.

"Uh yeah"

"Go get a jet ready," he sounded pissed and I'm sure he wanted to drop an F bomb but he was still in Director mode.

"Yeap." I headed for the dock as Stark went to suit up. The Captain and Thor stayed behind to help patch the front of the ship seeing as they didn't need masks to help them breathe. All I could think of while walking the long corridors to my ship was this mutant runt was going to put me through hell, but hey at least she fixed my shoulder.

By the time I'd finished my final systems check Iron Man sauntered in, how he managed to still sway his hips under all that armor still irked me.

I took to the air before he settled himself. I heard him grunt and his metal boots skid across the floor. "Funny," he spat before putting his helmet on.

The Quinjet got us there in 10 minutes. Hulk had thankfully drifted them away from any civilians. No need to explain the jolly green giant made my day slightly easier.

The Hulk was sitting crossed legged with nothing but khaki daisy dukes covering his massive body. Leto was crouched on her knees in front of him with her hands out in front of her and bright sparks of light fluttering between her fingers like butterflies. Well I guess the next time I needed to get The Hulk under control I would light a few sparklers.

"All right play times over," Stark spoke bringing The Hulk out of his trance.

"Really that's what you pick to say? 'play times over' and to think I used to envy your snarkiness," I raised an eyebrow.

Tony's yellow face plate looked at me then back at Hulk and Leto. "Bruce, think you can tone it down now?"

"No way in hell you're getting on my ship green." His green eyes looked me over before he let out a grunt and started to regress into Banner. Leto watched him in wonder as I stripped off my field jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She stood and pushed her arms through the sleeves but never took her eyes off Banner. I've seen the transformation a dozen times but I guess to a newbie it would be pretty cool.

Banner stumbled to his feet with his tan daisies so baggy that they are just about to cause a wardrobe malfunction before he caught a few belt loops with his fingers. Leto moved forward and put a shoulder under Banner's arm before Tony or I even realized he was about to pass out. She's my height but extremely lean, yet she kept Banner upright until Stark grabbed him and flew him to the ship.

"All right mutt lets go," I smiled a little and started for the ship.

She laughed and followed, "Mutt? That cause I'm a mutant or because I'm mixed?"

"Both."

Back on the ship Stark had Banner in one of the cots. Leto was in the co-pilot seat trying to figure out how to strap herself in.

"Drop us off at Stark tower," said Tony,

"Your own plane is waiting at the Helicarrier," I moved past him and towards my seat.

"So when it hits again do you really want her to be up there?"

I looked back at him and he still had his self-righteous finger pointing up. I turned away and got into the pilot seat. 11 minutes into the flight I wished I had turned the volume down.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?"

"Taking Stark, Banner and the kid to Stark tower," I said casually.

"Get your ass back here," guess Fury wasn't in the Director mood any more.

"Sir, we don't understand what hit us but it obviously triggered something in the kid. You know where I'm taking her, you know Tony and Bruce are probably the only ones who are going to be able to figure this out and you know you are more than capable of dropping in whenever you want."

There was a bit of a pause before he spoke. "Since you were so inclined to make this decision I see it only fitting that I make you her permanent babysitter. I want daily briefs. And Tony…I will be watching." While that last bit might have sounded cheesy, Fury is the original BAMF and I was forced to take everything he said seriously.

"Yes, Sir," Tony and I said at the same time, Tony's mocking of course.

*Leto POV

After Director Fury signed off the ship went almost silent. The only sounds coming from the soft hum of the engine, Banner's light snoring and Stark tapping away on that damn tablet.

I watched Barton for a bit as he smoothly flew his plane. As he flexed to turn the wheel the thick muscles of his arms pressed his veins close to the surface of his skin. Then I went back to staring at the never ending dark blue sea.

"I take it I'm not that interesting," Barton said, giving me a half smile.

"You were, but you got boring," I replied with a stone-face.

"Well I guess I'm going to have to come up with some enriching activities since I'm your new nanny," his voice got ridiculously high when he said 'nanny'.

"Babysitter," I corrected.

"Nope, nanny. I'll be moving into Stark tower too," he shook his head with irritation.

"Have you lived there before?"

"Yeah for a while after the whole Loki/Chitauri thing," for a split second he looked angry and a little bit sad. "But Tony was annoying as hell so I moved out after a few months."

"Oh well that's just lovely."

"Ha yeah well you're Tony and Banner's shiny new experiment so I guess they won't be that annoying."

"You mean not annoying to you?"

He laughed as an answer.

I went back to staring out the window. The ship went silent again. I pulled up my legs and wrapped Barton's jacket around me.

"Stark!" Barton suddenly yelled making me jump.

"What?"

"Have Pepper get the kid some clothes. They are the same size; Leto's just a little bit taller."

"How do you know what size Pepper is?" Stark sounded amused but also a bit territorial.

"I see everything, Stark," Barton paused then started laughing at is accidental dirty joke. Suddenly an apple flew by and Barton plucked it out of the air with his right hand without ever turning to look. "Hey you don't mess with the driver!" Barton chucked it back at him, again without looking, and it hit Tony right between the eyes.

"Ah," Tony stumbled around rubbing the knot forming on his forehead.

I guess because I had just been sitting there for an hour and there had been no explosions, or falling through the sky, or even the great green Hulk to hold my attention but it all just hit me.

I had tried to kill myself this morning, failed miserably and was now on my way to Stark Tower which was about an hour from that bar. Everything that had driven me to try hadn't disappeared in the last 13 hours. Maybe that's why they hold suicide attempts for 72 hours.

"Leto?"

"Yeah," I didn't turn to Barton but continued to gaze out the window.

"You okay?"

I'm damn good at reading people but quite lousy at keeping a poker face. "Yeah I'm fine," I smiled a little.

He didn't look directly at me but I could tell that he was watching me the whole rest of the flight.

At 4am we landed on the heli pad at Stark tower. Dr. Banner had woken up minutes before and was putting on some sweats when we touched down. I followed them to large, immaculate glass doors that were framed in carved filigree steel. "Pepper picked those out," Tony said. The doors slid open and we stepped in.

Everything inside was top of the line and beautiful, my eyes bounced around unable to focus on any one object before something shinier caught my attention.

"Welcome to Stark Tower Miss Leto," came a booming English voice.

"Um thank you," I looked around for the person like an idiot.

"A room has been prepared for you with only the bare necessities. I will help you prepare a list of what all you need later."

"Thanks Jarvis," Tony smiled satisfied. "Jarvis is an AI, he runs everything."

"Cool," I started to explore. Barton perched on the arm rest of a lavish sofa.

"I'm going to change," Banner disappeared down a hall.

The elevator in the center of the room dinged and a pretty strawberry blond stepped out. She looked around the room then focused on me. "Tony?" her voice was full of question and warning that made me want say 'uh oh'.

"You didn't tell her," Barton said with a snicker.

She looked at Tony with a slight glare than back to me, the partially dressed teenaged girl.

"Pepper, I adopted a kid," Tony grinned.

"Tony, I'm not in the mood I've been on the phone for the last few hours trying to explain your appearance where Sentinels were destroyed," her head snapped back towards me, "You're the girl."

"Hi," I pulled Barton's jacket tight around me. I looked between the two, Pepper was pissed and Tony was pleased.

"Hi sweetie. Tony can I have a word?" the pair went into a large office.

"Jarvis, where's Leto's room?" Barton asked.

"Her room is to the right of Dr. Banner's. Your room has been moved to this floor, as well. It is directly across from Miss Leto's room."

"Thanks. Come on let's go see it."

I followed Barton down the hall. There were only two rooms on each side of the hall. Judging by the length of the hall each room must be huge. Barton opened the door for me. "Holly shit," I gasped. The room was stunning. There was a huge four poster bed with a pretty pink and green paisley bed spread, dark wood flooring with a large pale green throw rug, a giant flat screen TV mounted on the wall opposite it, floor to ceiling glass windows covered the whole outside wall and a large black desk sat right in front of one of the windows. On the desk there was a larger version of Tony's tablet with a keyboard. There were two doors on the right wall. The closest led to a large walk in closet. It was empty of course but the number of shelves, racks and drawers would make any girl scream with thoughts of filling it up.

Barton moved to look out the window while I went through the other door. The bathroom had large marble sinks with stainless steel fixtures, the shower was separate and could easily fit four people and the tub was awesome. It was one of those old fashioned claw foot tubs and it sat right in front of bay windows. "There are no curtains," I said to myself. A second later the windows turned opaque.

"Just tell me and I can cloud the windows."

"Thanks Jarvis."

The windows went back to being clear. "You're welcome. Feel free to tell me whenever you need something."

"Okay." I went back out to where Barton was. Banner was with him at the window.

"You like it?" Banner asked.

"Yeah, it's awesome. It's bigger than my whole apartment."

"Tony doesn't do small and ordinary," Banner smiled.

"We can have someone go pick up whatever from your apartment," said Barton.

"There's nothing there," I said as I went to sit on my bed.

"No family photos, nothing?" asked Banner.

I laughed, "No family and I got rid of everything. I wasn't really planning on going back."

"Oh," Banner said sadly.

"It's not a big deal. So anyway could I get some pants? It's pretty cold."

"I'll get you one of my flight suits," Barton went across the hall to his room and came back a second later.

I gave Barton his jacket and put the olive green suit over my clothes. The three of us then went back out to the main room.

"Anybody want pancakes?" asked Banner after 5 minutes of brutal silence.

"Hell yeah," said Barton. We followed Banner to the elevator and we went down a few floors to the kitchen.

"Does he film cooking shows here?" I asked sarcastically. The kitchen took up half of that floor. The other half was filled with a huge dinner table that was more lavish then any one you would find in a royal's castle.

Banner whipped up the best damn blueberry pancakes I'd ever had. When we were all on our second helpings the elevator door opened and the two biggest avengers walked out.

"Ah my friends," Thor greeted. "Oh Bruce you have made those lovely cakes of pan again. May we join you?"

"Yes Thor, I figured you two would show up soon. So I made plenty extra."

"Where is Tony?" asked Captain as he made his plate.

Barton giggled, "He's getting his ass chewed out by Pepper."

"Oh I've heard that phrase before, what did he do?" he sat down next to me at the breakfast bar while Thor hovered over a giant stack of pancakes.

"He showed up with us and didn't tell her. That and everything that happened early yesterday."

"Oh," the cap'n raised his eyebrows and went back to eating.

I was idly spinning around on my chair watching Barton, the table, Captain and the kitchen swirl together when the elevators deposited two more. I stopped and would have fallen off if Barton hadn't grabbed my arm.

"The man of Iron and his lady have joined us," Thor grinned.

Tony looked pretty mellow but now Pepper looked sad and disheveled. I guess he had told her every single detail.

"Leto, you want to come with me?" she asked.

I hopped off the stool and followed her to her office where we spent the next hour on her computer ordering tons of clothes and shoes and other girly things.

*Hawkeye POV

"Barton?" Tony asked the second the runt was out of earshot. I knew exactly what he was asking me by the sudden change in his demeanor.

"What do you think Tony? She tried to kill herself less than 24 hours ago and by the sounds of it it wasn't one of those angsty cry for attention, but real deal final KO. Ask Banner."

"He's right Tony. We're going to have to keep an eye on her, though I doubt she will try anything here. What drove her to try… to try to kill herself didn't just go away when she realized she survived. She needs someone to talk to," the good doctor sighed. I guess he understood her a whole lot more than any of us.

"Ha who? SHIELD quacks suck ass I know and so does Rodgers, they're fucking idiots." Steve nodded in agreement but grimaced at my word choice. "And its not like we can get her outside help, being what she is."

"Then we must be her quacks," Thor looked unsure of the word. "She is unique even among midgardians like yourselves and I will protect her as best I can."

"Well I'm already attached to the kid, but I'll do my best to help her."

**Notes. First thanks for reading. I'm basing my Hawkeye off of the EMH cartoon. Any suicide attempt should be taken seriously. A cry for help is a cry for help no matter how extreme…I just felt that's the way Hawkeye would respond. Thank you thank you. Are we all forgotten is by Paper Route.


	4. God Moving Over the Face of the Waters

_4. God Moving Over the Face of the Waters_

*Thank you for the reviews, this one is a little short but I'll be back soon with more. I might have to bump this story up to mature because of Barton's mouth and some serious violence. Again I want to warn about the self-destruction.

*Hawkeye POV

All of us agreed to help our baby Avenger, even the great Tony Stark showed an ounce of compassion for once.

Soon after we all went to bed.

Far too early that afternoon we were woken up by a never-ending trail of people bringing in packages. Leto was standing outside her room all wide eyed and thunderstruck. "I didn't order all this," she said helplessly.

"Mr. Stark advised me to order more items based off your purchases and likes," answered Jarvis.

"Yeah just start expecting that," I smiled at her.

"Thank you Jarvis," she relented.

"My pleasure, Miss."

"Let's get some food while they finish."

We were eating left over pancakes when Stark walked in with his chest all poked out like a damn peacock, his signature strut.

"When you are done get dressed and come down to the basement," Tony Smiled.

"Only your suits are down there," I gave him the 'what the hell are you up too' look.

"I know," he shrugged then turned to rummage through the fridge.

"What are we doing?" asked Leto.

Tony turned to her with creamer in his hand. "You, sweetheart, are going to fix my suit. And Bruce has created an algorithm for Jarvis to help us get a read on your energy output. It's quite impressive, I'm surprised I didn't think it up."

"Oooh," she finished her last bite then rushed off to her room.

"Don't overdo it Stark. I don't want to deal with your whinny ass if she destroys the basement."

"She can't, the second we got her to SHIELD I had contractors building a room down there that not even a nuke could destroy."

I shook my head, figures he would have been planning on bring her here the second he saw her. We sat in silence for a few minutes until I noticed the elevator was moving down. "Come on."

Leto was in the elevator with her new clothes, green flip flops, jeans and a Foo Fighter t-shirt.

Banner, Thor and Rodgers were waiting for us in the basement. All of Tony's suits were lined up against the opposite wall. The room had recently been divided by a thick metal and concrete wall. A single door, similar to what you would find in a bank vault, was in the middle of the wall. Two large observation windows were on either side.

"Afternoon Leto, Barton," Banner smiled from behind his desk. Two large translucent monitors were in front of him running calculations.

"Hi," Leto looked around, a little shy now that she was about to be on display.

"Good day young Leto," Thor approached her and pulled her into a hug. She mumbled a 'hi' into his chest before he pulled her away just far enough to look down at her. "Banner tells me you will show us your magic this day," he beamed at her.

"Um, yeah," she smiled a little.

"Mine brother is quite good at magic as well," he finally released her. She backed up until she was by my side again.

"Well your brother was also a megalomaniac so let's not start comparing so soon."

"Wow Barton that was a pretty big word," Rodgers replied. I swear ever since he had gotten a hang of our slang and culture he'd gotten a little sassy.

Before I could respond Banner interrupted. "Leto are you ready?"

"Yeah. Do you want me to make it stronger for you?" she looked at Tony.

"Stronger? How?"

"Rearrange the crystal structure of the metal alloys that makes up your suit."

*Leto POV

A series of emotions rippled across Tony's face. First disbelieving, then fascination, then anger, then disbelieving again then the face he must have made the moment he thought up the Iron Man suit. I wasn't psychic but I swear I could hear him saying 'think of all the possibilities'.

"Thor will you get the door for her," was his response.

Inside the wall there was another room. Its walls were made of pyrex glass with metal mesh between the layers. "You know I can do this without blowing something up? If I couldn't I would have blown the ship up when I fixed Barton's shoulder," I looked back at them through the window.

"Yeah, but let's not take any chances," Tony grimaced.

I shrugged then stepped up to Tony's suit and placed a hand on its chest. There were patches on Tony's suit so weak you could cut through them with a q-tip. I giggled a little then released some energy to change the tin patches back to the gold-titanium alloy of the rest of the suit. Next came the harder part. Every crystal lattice structure of the alloy had to be rearranged. I pushed on every atom, making the structures more compact…stronger. The whole suit glowed a light blue as energy slowly seeped out of me. After a few minutes I was done.

I turned back towards the window. Thor's face was priceless; his eyes were big with a grin plastered across his face and his hands pressed against the glass. I couldn't help but laugh as I walked back out to meet them. Thor is nothing but a giant little boy.

"Jarvis run an analysis on the suit."

"I already have sir, the suit is far stronger than even you would be able to build given every material and infinite time." I swear Jarvis had a sarcastic tone to his voice.

Barton burst out laughing, "I don't know what's funnier, your face or how Jarvis responded."

"Sometimes I think I made him too real," Tony grumbled. I believe this was the first time he ever felt inadequate at creating his own tech.

"Sir, it is humanly impossible to create a suit that strong at least by mechanical means." Jarvis spoke after a few minutes; I guess he felt like he hurt his creator's feelings.

"He's not just trying to make you feel better. It is impossible. The technology just doesn't exist…for now I suppose," I said with hopefully a reassuring smile.

"Yeah," he brightened slightly. "So Bruce what readings did you get?"

Banner's eyebrows were scrunched together and the earpiece of his glasses was between his lips. "There was barely any output at all. "

"Told ya. I was only moving around a few things. Turning the tin back to the alloy gave off the most energy but there were so few spots it was negligible," I sat down next to Banner and looked at the screen. It was full of numbers and letters I would never understand.

He turned to look at me, "Would you be willing to do something that would require a lot of energy output? Only if you want too."

"You mean put Tony's little room to a test? Sure, what would you like me to do?"

"I guess I want you to blow something up."

"Dr. Banner?" The Captain looked doubtful.

"Don't worry Cap'n I will keep it contained. I need a large beaker of water…its easier if I have something besides air to work with."

A few minutes later I was back in the room. I focused on the water in the glass, forcing the atoms to move around and bounce off of each other. The water started to boil. I put out a hand and released a lot of energy all at once. The water skipped turning to steam and ignited. It was then that I felt a pull in my chest. I needed to let more energy out, I needed to let go…to feel what I did before. So I pushed more energy out. The beaker exploded but I wanted more than that. I broke down the atoms of the glass, which released even more energy and heat. My clothes were starting to char around the edges, my lips went dry and burned, the skin on my hand started to bubble. The pain was amazing, it was the best relief I didn't know I needed. So I gave it more energy. The pain was both inside and out now. My muscles were breaking down to supply the energy I had used up, breathing in the burning air had damaged my lungs and I could feel blood seeping in. My legs gave way and I landed on my knees.

"Leto!"

*Hawkeye POV

"Open the door!" I yelled but keeping my eyes on Leto's burning body.

"No! Don't it's too hot in there. If we open it, this whole room will ignite."

*Thanks for reading please tell me what you think. You'll start to understand where this story is going next chapter. The song is the Unkle version, go youtube it like right now.


	5. Second Chances

_5. Second Chances_

*Thanks for all the follows, faves and reviews.

*Notes: Sorry this has taken so long. I got to the end of this chapter and got stuck how to explain a certain someone showing up. Hopefully it's a good explanation and not confusing or ridiculous. Oh KITTY LOVES HAWKEYE asked if this was a Leto/Hawkeye love story, nope Hawkeye only has eyes for Black Widow. Leto has already met someone.

*Hawkeye POV

"Sir, I am going to remove the oxygen from the room," said Jarvis.

"Hurry!" several of us yelled together. Within seconds the flames were gone from the room and all that's left was Leto's charred body.

I rushed into the room even though my boots started to melt the second they hit the concrete floor. The air was still hot and my lips got chapped within seconds. I grabbed her upper arms; my fingers broke through crisp skin and hit moist muscle. It was like gripping a goddamn thanksgiving turkey and I almost puked just thinking about it. I dragged her out leaving a trail of flesh. Banner was waiting with a blanket that we quickly wrapped her in and Thor took her up into his arms, surprisingly delicate.

"Is she alive?" Steve yelled as we followed Thor up to the medical room.

She wasn't. Banner couldn't find a heartbeat. But no one could survive this. She had no hair, every inch of her was covered in burns, she was completely unrecognizable.

"If I get a central line in, if I can get some fluids, vitamins and minerals into her maybe…just maybe," Banner rushed around the room grabbing liquid filled pouches. He shoved a few at me. "Cut these open and poor them over her." I did as told. "Tony I need help finding a main artery." Banner had a needle ready.

"Jarvis," Tony clapped his hands and a holographic projection of Leto's heart and vascular system were laced over her. Banner quickly inserted a needle just above her collar bone and attached one of the pouches. The projection of her heart was unnervingly still.

"Come on, come on," Banner whispered through clenched teeth as he squeezed the contents of the bag into her. "Tony get some blood I'll start another line." Banner put in another line while Tony set up the IV. "Steve, I need you to do chest compressions just like I taught you."

"But her skin," Rodgers stepped forward.

"Doesn't matter. If we can get her heart started she can fix it herself. Thor and Barton drape some sterile towels over her and empty a few more of those saline pouches."

Once Thor and I finished Rodgers started CPR, he counted quietly while he watched the holographic image of her heart shift with his pressure. Stark and Banner kept forcing fluids and blood into her.

"Jarvis, anything?" Asked Stark after ten silent minutes and several bags of blood.

"No, Sir."

"Tony adrenalin!" Banner shouted. Rodgers jumped back just in time for Tony to stab Leto in the heart with the needle. Once he moved away Rodgers went back to compressions.

Three minutes later Jarvis shattered the silence, "Mr. Rodgers you may stop her heart is beating on its own." The whole room sighed. Banner put in fresh IVs and we played the waiting game.

After three hours she had pink baby skin and soft fuzzy patches of hair. Damn baby avenger.

After five hours her hair thick wavy hair was back to its normal length and her skin back to its caramel shade.

"My father calls for me," Thor said when he returned from his kitchen visit. "I must leave for now but please keep Jane informed of young Leto. She knows of how to contact me," he handed me his box of poptarts, grabbed his Hammer and disappeared with a flash.

I shared the poptarts with Rodgers. Banner and Stark didn't want any they were watching Leto closer than even I could.

Four and a half hours later just when I was starting to doze of next to her bed she sat bolt upright and screamed. Her shaking fingers grabbed for the IVs. I grabbed her hands and Rodgers pushed her back down with one hand on her chest. "Leto its ok," Rodgers whispered. Her eyes bounced around the room as she gasped for breath. Finally she focused on each of us in turn. Tony and Banner were standing by her head and she glanced at them before focusing on me. I held her face with one hand.

"It was just a dream?"

"Uh no you did nearly kill yourself," said Tony.

"No," Rodgers shook his head, "Leto you _were_ dead," Rodgers said sadly.

Leto pulled her fingers out of my grasp and placed one hand on my arm. "No I killed you," she whispered as tears brimmed her eyes. "I killed all of you. I destroyed everything because she told me to. And I knew it was wrong but…but she made me feel like it was right." Leto looked away from me guiltily.

"It was just a dream Leto," I said. Then something clicked. "Who was it?"

"Sif, Lady Sif."

"Dammit," I sighed.

"Well I guess we know why Thor's dad called," Tony said. "Kid brother is the biggest goddamn nuisance."

Rodgers pulled away and started to pace.

"I don't understand," Leto shook her head in confusion.

"It was Loki, he can shape shift and when he wants to be a chick he turns into Lady Sif. Well his version of her. The real Sif is a close friend of Thor," I explained.

"We'll figure all of that out when Thor comes back. But right now, why Leto?" Banner asked as he moved to my side of the bed. Leto let go of my arm and turned her head to face the opposite wall.

"I don't think I was trying to kill myself." She got quite and continued to stare at the wall. Rodgers moved into her line of sight and was about to say something when she turned her head back to look at Banner. "It was the pain I was after, it was relief." Leto's voice had a hard edge to it.

"Relief from what?"

In one quick move she was sitting up and gripping the edge of the table. Her face changed to match her voice. "Do you know what it's like to wake up one morning and the whole damn world has turned against you? To be hated for something you can't change or control. To have to pretend to be something you're not. I mean I could very well live forever. But to have to live forever in hiding. Live forever surrounded by people who hate and fear me. Or what go to Utopia? It's only a matter of time before ONE finds them and destroys them," her teal eyes were fixed on Banner's and they were so intense I was happy she wasn't looking at me. She reminded me of Tash. "I've got nothing and no one. You've seen my file by now. You know my parents didn't want me once they knew what I was. I'm just an experiment to you two and an assignment to him," now she fixed her gaze on me, yes just like Tash. She'll like her…if she ever gets to meet her. "I don't belong." There was so much finality in that last sentence I thought she was going to nuke us all right then.

"I understand," said the Captain. "At least feeling like I don't belong, I am the 'man out of time'," Rodger's smiled slightly as he moved around to my side of the table and I backed away to give him space. "Yes, to Dr. Banner and Tony you are an experiment. But that's not all you are to them or any of us. As Clint puts it you're our baby Avenger," Rodgers gently held her shoulders and squatted a little so that they were eye level. "There are a lot of things I can say but they will not take away what has happened to you. And I am sorry that the pain you are feeling right now isn't going to go away instantly. But would you please stick around long enough to see if you can work through this?"

They both stared at each other for a while. Leto was reading him the way Tash does when she's on assignment, looking for weakness or lies. Banner was beside me holding his breath.

Leto gave a small nod. Rodgers pulled her into him, using one arm to wrap around her body and his other hand held her head against his shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered.

*Leto POV

An overwhelming realization that someone…these people actually cared washed over me. I turned my head so that my face was buried into Steve's shoulder. I sat there for a while breathing slowly and relishing the feeling of being held.

It was only when Steve's hand moved a little and I felt his warm hand on my bare back did I realize that there was only a thin sheet separating me from the rest of the world and it was draped around my waist.

*Sorry if this was a bit to angsty. Couldn't help it, Leto had some stuff to get off her chest.


End file.
